About the Board of Trustees

Limestone Learning Foundation

The Limestone District School Board, like every public school board in Ontario, is governed by a Board of Trustees. School Board Trustees are locally-elected representatives of the public, and they are the community’s advocate for public education. They are required to carry out their responsibilities in a manner that assists the Board in fulfilling its duties under the Education Act

School board trustees are elected every four years during municipal and school board elections. There are 9 elected Trustees representing Kingston, Frontenac, Lennox and Addington counties. Along with the 5 elected trustees representing Kingston and the Islands, there is one trustee representing Greater Napanee, one representing Lennox & Addington, one representing South Frontenac and one representing Central/North Frontenac/Addington Highlands.

At the May 2022 Regular Board Meeting, Trustees unanimously voted to approach the Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte for them to appoint an Indigenous Trustee to the Limestone Board of Trustees. The Indigenous Trustee will serve a term which will coincide with the municipally-elected terms of office. The current 10-member Board of 
Trustees will serve until November 14, 2026. 

A Trustee’s role is to maintain a focus on student achievement and well-being and to participate in making decisions that benefit the entire district while representing the interests of their constituents. Trustees have a responsibility to all the families in their community – not just their neighbours, and not just families with school-aged children. They work with their school board colleagues and with other community partners to ensure that all the students within the board’s jurisdiction have equal opportunities to reach their maximum potential.

Only the Board, not an individual Trustee, has the authority to make decisions or take action. A school board must place all students first when making any decision. Trustees are required to uphold the implementation of any Board resolution (motion) after it is passed by the Board. In exercising their role, they are required to comply with the Board’s Trustee Code of Conduct.

Trustees are elected by ratepayers (in accordance with the Municipal Elections Act) and empowered under the Education Act to set policy for the operation of all public schools in the Limestone District. Policies set out the expectations about what should happen or how services are to be provided within the Board. The Board of Trustees ensure that the Director of Education carries out responsibilities for implementing the Board’s policies. They entrust the day-to-day management of the Board to its staff through the Board’s Director of Education.

The Board of Trustees is accountable to the Province of Ontario for the proper conduct of their duties and powers, including the implementation of provincial policy and the use of provincially-allocated funds. As elected officials, trustees must balance the demands of the community with the duties required by the Ministry of Education. This can be challenging and takes dedicated leadership coupled with a willingness to seek innovative ideas and the courage to implement them.

Trustee roles and responsibilities

Under the Education Act, Trustees are mandated to:

  • promote student achievement and well-being;
  • deliver effective and appropriate educational programs;
  • develop, maintain and monitor effectiveness of Board policies;
  • develop, communicate and review annually a Multi-Year Plan;
  • monitor the performance of the Director of Education; and
  • practise responsible stewardship of Board resources.

Elected for a four-year term, a Trustee must be:

  • a resident in the area of jurisdiction of the Board;
  • a Canadian citizen;
  • at least 18 years old;
  • eligible to be an elector of that school board for which the person is a candidate; and
  • not disqualified by any legislation from holding office.

In accordance with the Education Act and Ontario Regulation 357/06, Honoraria for Board Members, the Limestone District School Board set Trustee honoraria at $5,900 per annum with an additional $5,000 for the Board Chair and $2,500 for the Vice-Chair, respectively, effective December 1, 2014, notwithstanding any future legislative changes which may impact this decision.

General questions related to Board of Trustees, its committees, agendas, minutes and reports may be directed to:  Shauna Mitton, Trustee Liaison, 613.544.6925 ext. 235 or toll-free at 1.800.267.0935 ext. 235.


 

The Limestone District School Board is situated on traditional territories of the Anishinaabe & Haudenosaunee.